Orlando Real Estate: Research

If you’re thinking about buying a piece of Orlando real estate, please use this page as one of the starting points for your further research.

The menu to the right of this page contains several topics – click on each one to find out the basics.

But if you just want to browse current Orlando real estate listings (the “MLS” system), you can either use the Quick Search facility in the sidebar to the right, or click on the Search button in the main navigation at the top of this page for a more comprehensive facility. Look for listings in Kissimmee, Davenport or Clermont or narrow things down to Osceola, Polk or Lake counties to focus on the areas that contain the majority of holiday homes. Note that you can also select the price limits, the number of bedrooms, and so on. It will then provide you with a selection of what’s currently available – maybe too many!

If you’re looking for more sources of information, you can try:

More web sites – this is one of the most common start points now. There are many, many of these specializing in the real estate field (e.g. Zillow.com, Realtor.com, Trulia.com and, for UK buyers, the Overseas section of rightmove.co.uk). Note that the information on some of these can be out of date, incomplete or even downright incorrect, so take it all with a pinch of salt and verify everything. Most of them have some type of search facility but note that, for example, realtor.com takes much of it’s data from the MLS in the first place.

Referrals – one of the most valuable sources of research information can come from friends and colleagues who have already navigated the process of buying and owning in Florida. Whether they recommend people to work with or companies and places to avoid, you will at least be able to narrow down the choices.

Free magazines – if your research involves a Florida visit, these publications can be found at supermarkets, convenience stores, and strip malls. Harmon Homes and Homes & Land are two examples. Much of what is in these is already in the MLS system, though.

Local newspapers – the Orlando Sentinel features properties on Sunday and has it’s own web site with a real estate section. The Polk Ledger is another local newspaper.

A local Realtor – as a buyer, you get the help of a Florida Realtor for free, along with all of the local and professional knowledge, because the Realtor is reimbursed out of the seller’s commission. Find one you can trust! Choose an independent one (like us!) who does not rely on selling his own listings so that the advice you get is truly unbiased. And find one that will tell you both sides of the story – the pitfalls to avoid, as well as the upbeat, positive stuff.

In today’s market, a key problem faced by most buyers is too much information and not too little. If you need any help in sifting through all of this, click here: Orlando real estate to make contact and we will try to help.

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What Our Clients Say:

Very excited by our new purchase and cannot thank you enough. You were such a help through very unfamiliar territory. Would be more than happy to act as a reference any time. G.K., Kent, UK

You helped us from start to finish and beyond . . . from finding and choosing the plot through to furnishing the house and helping to set up the utilities once we had closed on the home - a "one-stop shop". You made it all so smooth and trouble free for us. We were so far away in the U.K. . . . I don't know how anyone does this without your help.
B.R., Derby, UK

Chris helped me to build my real estate holding from 0 to 5 homes worth almost $1 million dollars in just over 3 years, including 3 Disney Orlando Vacation homes. All were sold for a profit, which I give credit to Chris, who knows the Florida Real Estate market so well.
Anne S. Orlando

It looks so easy from the Internet sites. And some other Realtors play down exactly what is involved. What Colin showed us and what he did meant that we were kept informed at every stage. He made sure that we knew what we needed at each stage, from buying through to setting up the home and managing it the most effectively. We want to thank him for everything.
V.B., Exeter, UK

We just want to say how much we value the work that Colin did for us. His advice helped us to avoid what could have been some big mistakes and he showed us how to find the place we were looking for – or rather, the home that best fitted our plans both now and in the future. It’s amazing, looking back, how much Colin’s challenge to our preconceptions changed our thinking. I’m delighted both that we were referred to him and that he continues to give us support when we require it.
R.H., Oxford, UK